Players, coaches and officials of Olympiacos FC continued to “fume” on Wednesday, a day after brazenly hostile officiating the previous evening by Scottish referee Bobby Madden, during a third round Champions League qualifying match between the popular Greek side and Bulgaria’s Ludogorets.
While the scoreboard showed a final result of 1-1 in first-leg of this qualifying round at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, what transpired during the match were game-changing calls by the 42-year-old referee and an inexcusable tolerance to very rough and unsportsmanlike play by several of Ludogorets’ players.

Madden ignored the trip up of striker Youssef El-Arabi in the 65th and a textbook penalty committed against Ahmed Hassan in the 76th minute.
He turned a “blind eye” to a karate-style hit against Mady Camara, while ignoring a kick to the head of Oleg Reabciuk by Ludogorets forward Bernard Tekpetey.
Those were the most blatant mistakes on the night by Madden, whose overall officiating was intimidating to the home side, sending Olympiacos coach Pedro Martins into a rage.
The atrocious performance by the Scotsman also made the rounds on social media, with Celtic fans remembering that Madden had left their club with 10 players with a call during an “Old Firm” match with perennial rival Rangers.
Dozens of Tweets by Celtic fans poured scorn on Madden for his poor officiating.

Many, in fact, wondered how UEFA could appoint the specific referee to the game at the Neo Faliro stadium when the winner of the Olympiacos- Ludogorets matchup has the possibility of drawing with Rangers in the second round of Champions League qualifying play.
The play with El-Arabi in the 65th stands out, as Madden not only failed to book the opposing team’s player but didn’t even call a foul. In a similar situation in the Rangers-Celtic game, Madden instantaneous sent off the Celtic player.
He then favoured Rangers throughout the game, and it appears that he’s trying to help eliminate Olympiacos from Rangers’ possible path towards Champions League play.
It’s noteworthy that Madden now figures as one of the “beloved” refs for Rangers’ fans, given that when he officiates at one of the Rangers games it usually wins…

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